Ryan Blaney continues to struggle with “dumb decisions” that have kept him winless so far in 2025, as his latest setback came this weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway. Despite consistently strong performances, including four top-five finishes and three in his last four races, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion has yet to secure a victory that would guarantee his playoff spot.
During the crucial moments of the race, Blaney found himself in second place when a late caution flag altered the dynamics. Opting to take the inside lane behind Kyle Larson instead of the outside, he inadvertently allowed Michael McDowell to seize the lead from the outside lane. McDowell’s excellent restart gave him the advantage until another caution brought the race back to a halt. Blaney was fortunate to restart on the front row but soon faced difficulties when McDowell crashed, triggering overtime with Blaney and teammate Joey Logano at the front.
At the overtime restart, Blaney’s sluggish reaction saw him fall behind both Logano and Ross Chastain. Reflecting on the race, Blaney admitted,
The one time I didn’t pick the outside (lane), the 71 [McDowell] got the lead and then I couldn’t get it back. Just (the) driver making dumb decisions and not doing his job…The 12 car was a fast car today. I just can’t do anything right currently. Hopefully it will work itself out.
While frustration grows, Blaney’s consistent top-five finishes have kept him comfortably above the playoff cut line based on points, even without the crucial automatic spot a win would secure. This ongoing pattern of errors raises concerns about whether he can overcome these struggles as the pressure increases during the playoff push, and how these decisions may shape the rest of his season.
